Chapter 2 Two
Lena’s pov
As I stirred in my sleep, my limbs felt heavy, the air around me still and silent. Slowly, I opened my eyes, my sight turning blurry before it settled on the familiar stone ceilings.
A satisfied smile crept up my lips, but it quickly vanished the moment the iron clink of chains reached my ears.
What the hell…?
My wrist was… shackled to the bedposts. My legs too, bound in thick leather straps that painfully pressed Into my skin when I struggled.
Confusion clouded my features as I scanned the room, realizing I was alone. My gaze fell on the mirror before the bed and I glanced around the bed, noticing I was still in my undergarments.
Untouched.
Before the realization could dawn on me, the door creaked open as if on cue and my father entered. Then Ash.
Only seeing his expression, my chest tightened, tears welling up in my eyes as I shook my head. I willed myself to speak through my clogged throat.
“Bastard,” I whispered painfully, unable to look at Ash for long, turning away in shame as my father's ridiculed gaze burned into me. Faint moments of him offering me water while feigning worry flooded my mind. “You drugged me.”
My father's chuckle boomed in the whole room. “Your first mistake was thinking he actually cared about you. Your second..” I gasped as his calloused hands roughly grabbed my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. Black like charcoal. “was underestimating me.”
My lips trembled, and I tasted my salty tears as I stared dead straight into his eyes. Anything but having to face Ash again. I couldn't look at him
“Ash? I practically raised him to obey me. You're a fool. I'm aware, and that's why I knew you'd come here.”
“You used him, and me.” I snapped, grinding my teeth.
“You used yourself,” he sneered, his fingers digging so hard into my skin, I feared he would shift and tear me apart with his claws. “Opening your legs for him like that. The twins are already on their way.”
“No!”
Ash stepped forward but I steeled my jaw, preferring to glare into the cold laden eyes of my father than him instead.
“Lena, I was only…”
“Ash, Leave.” Alpha Godric cut him off with one glance.
My heart sank.
He hesitated, and for a moment, I hoped, I wish he would say something. Fight back. Tell me he didn't know my father had orchestrated this and that he wasn't a part of it. But he turned and walked out.
At the click of the door behind him, I growled, mid shifting to burst out of my restraints but it was too late.
He struck his hand out, across my face. Hard.
I fell back against the bed sobbing, my mouth flooding with the metallic taste of my own blood.
Minutes later, as he climbed out the bed, I could barely even flinch. My whole body branded with marks, blue violet bruises across. As often as he did this, I still wasn't used to it. The fact that he could hate me this much to put his hands on me.
I was so weak, only tears sprawled down my cheeks as he adjusted his wristwatch.
“You’ll forget about the Omega and remember who you are. Act like it.”
I barely stiffened, even as he left.
By midday, I was finally remembered. The female omegas trooped im. Their faces were blank but they were fast and efficient. As usual.
They undid the chains and helped me out the servant quarters and to my room. After forcing me to eat with a tube, they took me to the bath, scrubbing my skin raw.
Back in my room, I tried not to feel sick seeing the wedding attire sprawled out on my bed.
My curls were brushed out and styled. Every bruise and scars yet to heal was covered in cream and pigment and shimmer. I felt like a doll.
By the time they were done and left me alone to my thoughts, I could barely recognize myself.
I looked ethereal, I couldn't deny it. They said my mother was one of the beautiful women in the kingdom and my father was lucky to have had her as his mate. I looked every inch as beautiful as she was.
But I didn't feel whole looking into the mirror.
I felt haunted. Scared. Sick.
A knock came right before sunset before the locked door was swung open.
I got up, appalled, yet my heart fell, a slow thud to my stomach.
Ash stood there.
Dressed in formal black and silver with my pack’s crest at his collar and his hair, usually tousled like he ran his hand through, was combed neatly to the side.
His jaw was tense, his silver eyes dark ringed but I pretended but to notice. He hurt me. He betrayed me. This is what he chose for me. He had no right to feel sorry for me.
My father had sent him to escort me. I had a monster for a father. He knew what he was doing sending him here. To remind me who was in control of what happened in my life and how I had no freedom to make a choice in it.
Taking a shaky breath, I approach him at the door, not letting him see the storm raging inside of me.
A round of uncomfortable silence ensued between us and for a moment he didn't speak, only silently gazed at me. Whole.
“You look… beautiful, Lena.”
I didn't answer, only taking his arm stiffly when he offered it, hiding the fact that I was shaken inside, burning.
The arena was quiet upon our arrival- an oppressive, chilling silence. Without realizing, my grip tightened around Ash’s as he led me down the aisle.
Slowly, whispers broke the air like molten flames, and under their gaze, I felt like an insect caught in their trap.
The place was crowded. People from all nooks and cranny of the kingdom were here to witness the union of the Alpha Twins and Alpha Godric’s daughter. A union of the century. One which would determine their alliance forged in the upcoming war.
My heart clenched as we slowly took the steps leading to them.
The Alpha Twins.
Riven and Kael
Mirror images of evil, arrogance and Frost. Their blood red eyes. A shudder ran down my body. Riven looked like he was undressing me right there and then. Kael’s expression was capable of freezing hell over. He didn't even pretend to look pleased at my presence.
It took everything within me not to bolt. Not like I could. My father would make sure I will have no legs to do such again. I'm sure the twins would be pleased.
I could feel people's gazes pressing into me from all sides as I took the death march down the aisle, avoiding looking at Ash.
However, there was one gaze I couldn’t deny sent heat searing up my body like wild fire. My wolf- I could feel her underneath my skin, like she was fighting her way through to get something.
I followed my instincts immediately, my gaze snapping towards the high table reserved for other Alphas and esteemed guests, shadowed by the marble columns.
My lower belly felt like it was seared with flames and my nostrils flared as his scent hit me.
The Lycan
He was unlike anything I'd ever seen.
Broad. Towering even while sitting amongst others. His hair, dark as nightfall was long and proudly settled on his shoulders. A clean cut beard, trimmed close to his jaw. He wore a suit just as the others but it did nothing to hide the barely contained power that radiated from him like heat from coals.
His eyes. Molten gold. Assessing me. Boldly consuming me.
Besides him, a woman in blood red silk draped herself over his arm. But he didn't even spare a glance at her once.
Only at me.
Mate.
At that instant, it felt like everyone else faded into the background. A surge of energy burst through me. He was my last resort.
My wolf pushed my body forward, away from Ash, clawing for him.
“Lena!” Ash shouted after me, but whatever he said was consumed up the the wave of whispers that swallowed up the arena.
My pulse spiked. My body had known before I had even seen him and now..
I didn't care anymore.
The crowd gasped as I stood before the table, before him.
His gaze hadn't moved nor faltered as he watched me, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
“After her now!”
“She's insane!”
“Have her dragged if you must!”
“How dare she?”
A cocophony of outrageous people fell on deaf ears as I took off my veil and tossed it carelessly to the floor.
I turned and grabbed the table cloth, my heels clicking, gown flowing like white fog behind me as I swept everything across the table, knocking goblets and plates to the floor.
The crowd erupted. Loud. Horrified. Amongst the sounds of the crash as the table cloth emptied its content to the ground along with it.
Even the Alphas, the Lunas, they were outraged, standing with ferocious glares and gnarls, but he hadn't moved. Not even a flinch but his eyes burned even brighter.
With our gazes locked, I climbed the table, slow and measured like a cat, my neckline open and bare before him, baring my curves.
Shamelessly, I closed the distance between us, grabbing his tie and pulling him forward, flipping my hair to the side, lowering my lashes at him.
“Offering yourself at me at my Nephews’ wedding, you're quite daring, aren't you, Lena BlackThorn.”
Heart in throat, lips parted, my breath fell against his lips. “Are you going to pretend you can't feel it? Or will you deny me like a coward?”
In one smooth motion, his hands gripped my hips and I gasped as he pulled me down against him.
With a low growl, he whispered “Mine!” against my skin before he sank his canines into my throat.